Women’s lacrosse overcomes Emmanuel College: James scores six goals in standout performance

By Izabela Gage Sports Editor In their last game before heading to Florida for spring break, the Framingham State women’s lacrosse team secured a 10-6 victory over the Emmanuel College Saints March 9. This win improves their early-season overall record to 2-3. Emmanuel controlled the opening draw and struck first by finding the back of the net to give the Saints a 1-0 lead just 46 seconds into play. The Rams’ defense absorbed early pressure as the Saints maintained possession and looked to extend their lead. A 3-minute green card put Framingham down a player, but Captain Isabella DiMare, a senior goalkeeper, made two saves to keep Emmanuel from scoring during the advantage. The Rams capitalized on a free position opportunity 5 minutes into the first quarter when sophomore Emma Kendzulak stepped up and buried the shot to tie the score. Emmanuel continued to apply offensive pressure, but DiMare came up with another save to prevent the Saints from reclaiming the lead. Sophomore Lily Malloy fired a shot wide before sending another shot to the net, which bounced off the post. Following a ground ball pickup by sophomore Madeline Bosma, she tried to take the lead for the Rams with a shot that was saved by Emmanuel’s goalkeeper, Keira Walsh. The Saints broke through the Rams’ defense and gained a 1-point lead with just over 5 minutes remaining in the quarter. Less than 30 seconds later, freshman Jenna James netted a shot off a pass from freshman Kate McGovern to even the score 2-2. Senior Kelley DeBellis won the following faceoff, and James almost took the lead for the Rams, but her shot ricocheted off the post. After three shots by Emmanuel, two of which were wide, and one that DiMare saved, the game remained tied heading into the second quarter. Framingham came out of the break with renewed energy. James struck again just over a minute into the second quarter, converting a pass from McGovern to give the Rams a 3-2 lead for the first time. While Emmanuel continued to win draw controls, the Rams’ defense forced key turnovers to regain possession. Captain Lindsey Cox and Olivia Berggren, both juniors, played active roles defensively, disrupting the Saints’ offensive flow. DeBellis tried to break through Walsh’s defense, but was unsuccessful. The Saints attempted to clear their zone, but Kendzulak picked up the ground ball after a turnover. She tried to find the back of the net, but her shot bounced off the post. Emmanuel regained possession of the ball, but freshman Isabella Spaulding caused a turnover, and James extended the Rams’ lead 2 seconds later, earning her third hat trick of the season, once again finishing a setup from McGovern to push Framingham ahead 4-2. Malloy converted on a pass from Captain Alessia Lye, a senior, to bring the score to 5-2 with just over 5 minutes remaining in the quarter. DiMare remained steady in net, recording two saves to hold the Saints scoreless in the second quarter, and helping the Rams carry a three-goal advantage into halftime. After a turnover caused by Bosma less than a minute into the third quarter, the Rams quickly capitalized when James scored on a man-up opportunity to extend the lead to 6-2. The Rams continued to control the pace while limiting Emmanuel’s chances on the offensive end. The Saints were awarded a free position shot, but DiMare stood tall in the net, stopping the attempt. Kendzulak added to the Rams’ lead with under 6 minutes left in the quarter, converting another free position opportunity to give Framingham a 7-2 advantage. Emmanuel finally broke through 1 minute later, scoring on a man-up free position shot, cutting the Rams’ lead to 7-3 heading into the final quarter. The Saints capitalized on a green card given to the Rams early in the fourth quarter, breaking through DiMare’s defense to put another point on the board. Framingham answered a little over 2 minutes later when James continued her dominant performance, scoring again off a pass from McGovern to push the lead to 8-4. The Rams stayed aggressive, and after DeBellis picked up a ground ball, Lye tried to find the back of the net, but it was saved by Walsh. James struck again only 16 seconds later, assisted by Lye, extending the Rams’ advantage to 9-4, tallying her sixth goal of the game. Kendzulak added the final point for Framingham on another free position shot, giving the Rams a commanding 10-4 lead with under 8 minutes remaining. Emmanuel attempted a late push in the closing minutes. The Saints scored twice in a minute and a half to cut the deficit to four. However, the Saints’ rally came too late as Framingham maintained possession until the clock ran out and the Rams claimed the 10-6 victory. James said, “We all just get really hyped and keep the energy positive. My teammates are always supporting each other, and that helps us stay focused and keep the momentum going throughout the game.” James scored on six of her eight shots in the victory, earning her MASCAC Rookie of the Week March 9. James said, “Finding those scoring opportunities really came down to my teammates. They always know where to be and how to move the ball, which helps put me in good positions to finish and get the ball into the back of the net.” She said being recognized by the conference “means a lot. It motivates me to keep working harder every day. It pushes me to keep improving and to help my team continue to succeed throughout the season.” McGovern tallied four assists. She said to make effective plays, she simply tries “to keep my head up and stay composed so I’m not rushing anything. I trust my teammates to be in the right spots, and I focus on the fundamentals so I can make the right pass when the opportunity is there.” She added she is grateful for the opportunity to contribute to games, "especially as a freshman. It shows that the hard work I’ve been putting in is paying off. I just want to keep helping the team however I can.” DiMare saved 10 of the 16 shots she faced. “I was just trying to stay calm and take it one shot at a time. When there’s a lot of pressure in the game, it’s easy to start thinking too much, so I focus on the simple things and trust my instincts. “Once I make a save, I try to reset right away and move on to the next play. My teammates also help keep the energy up, which makes it easier to stay focused,” she added. DiMare said the team is “focused on learning from every game and practice. We’re a younger team this year, so as captains, we try to keep everyone motivated and remind the team that the season is long and we’re still growing as a group. If we keep improving each week, the results will come.” The Rams travel to Panama City Beach, Florida, to face the Hamilton College Continentals and the Ramapo College Ducks on March 16 and 18, respectively. James said, “Going into Florida, we’re really focusing on moving the ball faster, working together as a team, and pushing each other to get better every day. If we keep improving and playing for each other, we’re hoping that will translate into better results before we head into conference play.” DiMare said this trip is a great experience for the team. “We’ve been practicing inside a lot, so being able to get outside and actually play will make a big difference for us. It’s also a really good time for the team to bond and continue building our team culture, which is really important as we head further into the season.”